Ex-TRL boss, 10 others arraigned

Dar es Salaam. Former managing director of Tanzania Railways Limited (TRL) Kipallo Kisamfu and 10 other officials of the firm were yesterday arraigned at the Kisutu Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam over allegations of abuse of office and illegal use of official documents.

Charged along with the former TRL boss were chief accountant Jasper Hurbert Kisiraga and head of finance Mathias Andrew Massae.

The Chief Prosecutor from the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Mr Max Ali, mentioned other accused persons as TRL acting chief engineer Muungano Gabriel Kaupunda, Ngosso Mwakilembe Ngosomwiles, Paschal John Marafiki and Kedmon Peter Mapunda. Others were TRL acting communications engineer Felix Rweza Kashangili, head of Railway Transport Affairs Lowland Watson Simtengu, Joseph Mlinda Syaizyagi and Charles Florence Ndege.

The prosecution alleged that between February 1, 2013 and June 30 2014, while serving as the TRL managing director, Kipallo abused his office by failing to exercise his administrative duties on a contract tender number PA/113/2012-13/ME/G/OE/013.

Mr Max further alleged that Kipallo, as head of the railways firm, failed to adhere to terms of the contract and enabled another company, M/S Hindusthan Engineering and Industries Limited, to maliciously secure some benefits through the contract.

The PCCB prosecutor alleged that, Mafikiri did, between July 1, 2013 and August 31, 2013, use his position as chief engineer to authorise the acquisition of ballast hopper wagons from M/S Hindusthan Engineering and Industries Limited contrary to what was indicated in the contract.

He added that Kisiraga and Mathias had on August 5, 2014 authorised payment of $1,280,593.75 through irrevocable letter of credit number 96011MPLC0000814 to M/S Hindusthan Engineering and Industries Limited for 25 wagons without ascertaining the quality of the wagons. As for Muungano, the prosecution told the court that he abused his position on February 28 2014 by authorising M/S Hindusthan Engineering and Industries Limited to deliver the 25 wagons without observing procurement procedures.

Ngosso allegedly abused his office on May 31, 2014, by authorising transportation of the 25 wagons by ship without ascertaining that they were of the required standards.

Again, Muungano, Kedmon, Felix, Lowland and Joseph allegedly used their positions to allow the importation of the sub-standard wagons.

Kisiraga did, on February 1, 2014, allegedly abuse his position by authorising payment of $1,280,593.75 to Baroda Bank before the 25 wagons were delivered.

Muungano was also accused of writing a wrong report to his employer indicating that the wagons were up to the required standards.

All the accused persons pleaded not guilty as the prosecution claimed that investigations into the case were not yet completed. Granting bail conditions, the presiding magistrate ordered each of the accused persons to have three surerities each signing a Sh10million bond and should have fixed abode. They were also ordered not to travel outside Dar es Salaam. Only three of the accused persons met the bail conditions while the rest were sent to remand prison until February 25 when the case will be mentioned again.

On December 4, last year, seven senior officials with the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and an official with Azam Inland Container Depot (ICD) appeared in a Dar es Salaam court charged with economic sabotage and causing loss of Sh12.7 billion in unpaid taxes to the government. The taxes were to be paid for the importation of 329 containers.

Senior State Attorney Christopher Msigwa told the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court the accused committed the two offences between June 1 and November 17, last year.